Category Archives: Travels

November 22, 2009 · 6:25 pm

The Lake Sings

It was such a beautiful day today that I just had to get out of this place – out into a place with trees and water and sky.  So, in spite of the CFL big game which I do enjoy watching, I went for a drive to Anglin Lake.

IMG_1496

The lake is frozen quite solid.  But it was singing to me.  Honestly.  I’ve never heard the ice sing like that before.  A strange haunted noise as if something were trapped in the lake below the frozen surface. I wonder how the sound is produced.

IMG_1539

I am glad I went. My spirit needed some fresh air and clear skies.

2 Comments

Filed under Day to Day, Photos, Travels

October 25, 2009 · 4:45 pm

Indulgences

I am waiting in the airport in Calgary, in the Maple Leaf Lounge.This is a good place to wait if you have studying or reading to do.  It is quiet and there is free tea and coffee and other things.  Leo decided that if I was going to travel, he would get this little perk for us.  And it is well worth it.  Otherwise airports are no fun at all!

Anyway, I am on my way back to Saskatoon after ALIVE, our church’s adult retreat.  I’m not sure if these things should be called a retreat since in the true sense of “retreat” it was not.  We did a lot of visiting, some worship with music and we heard God speak to us through Ruth Hill.

 DSCN2180

Ruth and I have known each other since back in the Congo.  Now it seems we are on a similar sort of faith journey, discovering that in our late 50’s/early 60’s, we are hearing God call us on into new endeavours that involve study. 

We also both have a weakness for chocolate and after spending our free time on Saturday in our books studying, happened to head out into the hotel corridor at the same time. We drove into downtown Canmore thinking we’d walk around and browse some shops.  Instead we just happened to walk by a Creperie within the first block and were divinely led inside to enjoy some wonderful crepes – Chocolate and Nutella.  What could we do but indulge?

DSCN2182

4 Comments

Filed under Day to Day, Photos, Travels, Worship events

October 23, 2009 · 3:22 pm

Life

Right after work tonight, I hit the road and head for Saskatoon to board a plane to Calgary then drive again to Canmore. I hope to make it to my hotel there by 10:30 or so. We’ll see. Last time I estimated the time it would take to get up to Kingsfold, I underestimated by a good hour. Of course I got lost and it was snowing and raining so hard it was easy to miss my turn off.

So, I guess we will see. I will get there when I get there.

I am attending Alive,an adult retreat (which usually means over 50, you young things that do not fit the description) Ruth Hill is speaking and since we did time together in the Congo, we always have lots to talk about.

And I am now waiting for the School Dental Program people to arrive so that I can finish a job that ended up being a bit too complicated for them. I do not want to have to speed too fast on the way to Saskatoon and my meeting scheduled for there at 6 before my plane leaves.

Such a hectic life I lead. Sometimes it seems as if the crazyiness comes totally unbidden and unplanned putting an end to all my nicely timed out schedule.

Life. Is Too Full Some Days.

Comments Off on Life

Filed under Day to Day, Dealing with stuff, Travels, Worship events

October 4, 2009 · 6:33 pm

It’s hard to describe

…what made this weekend so special.  Maybe I am simply different.

IMG_1426-2

Maybe it was the beauty and quiet and the presence of God’s Spirit with us as we met and talked and shared stories of our journey along the paths of faith we are walking.

I think I am a bit different from having been there. 

IMG_1427-1

1 Comment

Filed under church, Photos, Travels

October 2, 2009 · 4:14 pm

Up into the mountains again

In about an hour I leave for Calgary.  Then I will head up north west to a beautiful retreat centre – Kingsfold.

  Retreat 016

The Covenant is having a leadership retreat there and I have been invited along to do some spiritual direction. 

I have enjoyed doing this the last few years.  I’ve only been at Kingsfold once but it is beautiful and the sort of place where God can be sensed in both the beauty of the location and in the hospitality of those who run the centre.

It will be good.  I am not sure if I am attending out of a sense of fulfillment I get from sitting and talking about growing relationships with God or if I need this kind of quiet place for some healing of my own soul.

Comments Off on Up into the mountains again

Filed under church, Photos, Travels

September 11, 2009 · 3:57 pm

Grandmother stuff

IMG_1395

Last week, as I spent time with Kieran and Nea, my understanding of a most wonderful truth about being a grandmother grew. It is OK to play. It is more than OK actually – it is almost a requirement and in fact it is fun.

This kind of playing belongs mostly to grandparents I think. I suppose a really silly parent can get by doing the same things but most parents take the importance of their high role too seriously. A grandparent can get away with being really silly or simple and no one is likely to judge you for being a poor grandparent because of it. They will probably watch you down on the ground picking up stones, examining them carefully with a five year old and marvel at the joy you still find in life.

This summer, as I drove out to Vancouver, I gathered a few treasures along the way. Rocks.

IMG_0498

My excuse was that they were for Kieran. But maybe it is the repressed child in me. I always gathered rocks on my summer vacations as a child. Why not do it again now? This will perhaps be the last period of my life when I will be able to gather them. And a grandmother needs no better reason than that I will be able to sit with my grandson and admire their shapes and colour.

Comments Off on Grandmother stuff

Filed under Family, grandchildren, Photos, Travels

September 8, 2009 · 11:15 pm

More Pictures

Tonight I took some time to add some more pictures to our set of vacation photos.  The ones added are from our time in Skagway.  Its an interesting old gold rush town that now lives for the tourist rush in the summer.  The railway trip up to Fraser, BC was beautiful as well as fun.  You can check them  out on Flikr here.

IMG_0877

IMG_0992

IMG_0930

This is one of my favourites – the old wooden trestle bridge.

IMG_0913

2 Comments

Filed under Photos, Travels

September 6, 2009 · 9:31 pm

Pictures

One of my goals for today was to upload some of my pictures to Flikr and get some sets of my vacation and on my newest granddaughter.  This stuff seems to take a lot of time but some of the pictures are up and can be seen here (Kadyn) IMG_1407

 

and here (vacation). 

IMG_0492

The vacation set will see some additions as the week goes on.  I have a  lot of pictures to go through. 

Comments Off on Pictures

Filed under grandchildren, Photos, Travels

August 28, 2009 · 6:48 pm

At Sea

At Sea

Ploughing great grey green waves
Salt spray in my face
Fog on the endless horizon.

1 Comment

Filed under Poetry and Stuff, Travels

August 24, 2009 · 1:02 pm

Cruising

Today is our first day in port.  We’re in a little place called Icy Straight Point where it looks as if there is a small trading post and maybe a fish cannery and that is about it. We need to buy kids toothpaste for Kieran.  He won’t use mint.  He said his mother wouldn’t let him use mint.  I suspect that may be stretching it but … he is so far brushing just with water.  Which really is OK. 

Yesterday we saw whales most of the afternoon.  Most were far enough away that we couldn’t really identify them.  Leo seems to get a kick out of identifying things.  I just like to watch.  The ocean fascinates me.  Whales are a plus.

We plan to go ashore but this morning Kieran is up with the kids program coloring and making volcanoes.  So after lunch we’ll ride in to shore on the tender boat and have a look around.

3 Comments

Filed under Travels